Hampshire Flood Death Man Named

You may also like

Tributes were paid to a "very well respected'' Mental Health Tribunal judge who died after the car he was in was swept away by 5ft of fast-flowing water as it drove across a ford in Hampshire.

Jonathan Gammon, 52, from Middlesex, was trapped in his Toyota Yaris as it attempted to cross the ford at Thornford Road, Headley, at 9.10am on Monday April 30.

The car was swept downstream about 100 metres and became submerged by flood water, according to Hampshire police.

Mr Gammon's wife, who is 55 and is understood to have been driving the vehicle, was able to get out but Mr Gammon was recovered from the vehicle by fire and rescue crews and later pronounced dead at the scene.

A dog which was in the car also died.

Sergeant Paul Plews, from the Farnborough roads policing unit, said: "Our thoughts are with his wife and family who are understandably very distressed by what's happened.

"Our investigation is focused on establishing the events leading up to Mr Gammon's death and we will be preparing a file for the coroner.''

A Hampshire police spokeswoman said that the conditions on the road, including the impact of recent rainfall on water levels at the ford, would form part of the investigation.

Phillip Sycamore, president of the first tier tribunal health, education and social care chamber, praised Mr Gammon's "tremendous talent'', describing him as a "very well respected and popular colleague.''

The Environment Agency urged people to keep away from swollen rivers and not attempt to walk or drive through flood waters in the wake of the tragedy.

Around 100 properties have flooded in England and Wales since Friday, the agency said.